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This is still the greatest classical music comedy sketch ever

6 April 2016, 17:14

Relive the moment, 35 years ago, when 'Andrew Preview' became a household name.

The premise was that Morecambe and Wise had hired Yehudi Menuhin to perform and Previn flew in to conduct. But then he discovers that Menuhin has been cancelled and the hapless Eric will play Grieg's Piano Concerto.

Through this priceless moment in TV comedy history from 1971, Previn secured his place in light entertainment history.

Previn told Classic FM in 2009 that at first he was worried about the sketch. He said: "I told them, 'Make any fool of me you like, but I won’t have you make fun of the music'. Eric was worried too. I wasn’t a comedian and he said, 'If anyone thinks we’re trying to be funny, we’re finished. We must act as though it’s very serious'.

"To this day when I walk down a street in London someone will shout out, 'Hey, Mr. Preview'. Every single time.